Vehicular air compression system

ABSTRACT

A cylinder having a piston and piston rod assembly reciprocated by a wheel suspension member of the vehicle for the transfer of a fluid to a pressure storage tank. A fluid motor downstream from the tank is operated by a valve regulated flow of air for the controlled operation of various powered systems of the vehicle. An air flow circuit is completed back to the cylinder via a second tank constituting a source of low pressure air. The cylinder is simultaneously charged with a quantity of air on one side of the piston while air is exhausted, under pressure, on the opposite side of the piston.

United States Patent Hudspeth et al.

1451 Sept. 5, 1972 [54] VEHICULAR AIR COMPRESSION SYSTEM [72] Inventors:Steve A. Hudspeth; John B. Lunsford, both of Springfield, Oreg.

[73] Assignee: FMA, Inc.,

[22] Filed: Oct. 8, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 79,125

Eugene, Oreg.

' [52] US. Cl. ..180/66 B, 280/124 R, 417/233 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 326,1 l5 3/1930 Great Britain 1 80/66 B PrimaryExaminer-Philip Goodman Att0meyJames D. Givnan, Jr.

[ ABSTRACT A cylinder having a piston and piston rod assembly.

reciprocated by a wheel suspension member of the vehicle for thetransfer of a fluid to a pressure storage tank. A fluid motor downstreamfrom the tank is operated by a valve regulated flow of air for thecontrolled operation of various powered systems of the vehicle. An airflow circuit is completed back to the 4 cylinder via a second tankconstituting a source of low pressure air. The cylinder issimultaneously charged with a quantity of air on one side of the pistonwhile air is exhausted, under pressure, on the opposite sid of thepiston.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTE D E 5 3.688.859

STEVE A. HUDSPETH JOHN a LUNSFORD INVENTOR.

VEHICULAR AIR COMPRESSION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to a vehicular carried air compression system and moreparticularly to such a system utilizing vertical travel of the vehicleswheel suspension members as a source of power for air pressurrzation.

In the present field of invention automotive components operated bydifferential air pressure are, for the most part, of the vacuum type.They are dependent on a continuous source of vacuum or negative pressurefor their operation, such a source commonly being the intake manifold ofan internal combustion engine. In distinction, the present inventionprovides for a continuous flow of pressurized air through an air motorthe power of which may be utilized for various automotive purposesincluding powering the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is embodied within an aircompression system for installation on a vehicle wherein vertical wheelmotion is utilized as a source of power. A piston responsive to wheelmotion works within a cylinder carried by the vehicle frame or chassis.A wheel suspension member of the automobile in its movement toward andaway from the frame while the vehicle is underway actuates the piston ina continuous manner to forcefully exhaust air from the cylinder to apressure storage tank. The downstroke of the piston exhausting the airunder pressure is in compliance with normal wheel suspension movementwherein the automobile suspension member is moved downwardly by means ofa spring or like component of the automobile.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of an aircylinder having a piston in continuous motion in response to verticalmotion of the automobiles suspension member during travel.

The air cylinder utilizes a sequential flow of air passing through aseries of check valves which permits the cylinder to operate in thenature of an air pump. Normal travel of the vehicles suspension memberand hence the ride of the vehicle is largely unaffected during upwardmovement of said member. Oppositely, downward movement of the suspensionmember to its normal position, as urged by a vehicle spring member,results in the air being exhausted from the lower end of the cylinder,which advantageously accomplishes dampening of wheel motion similar tothat affected by a shock absorber unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a wheel air cylinder shown withassociated vehicle components and with the remaining system componentsbeing shown in schematic form, and

FIG. 2 is a schematic showing a modification of the present system.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With continuing reference to thedrawing wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarlyidentified in the following specification, the reference numeral 1indicates generally an air cylinder of the present invention disposedintermediate a vehicle frame member 2 and a wheel suspension member ofthe vehicle respectively. Both the frame member and the wheel suspensionmember are shown in fragmentary form and may be considered typical ofconventional vehicle construction.

The air cylinder comprises a cylinder 4 adapted at its upper end bymeans of a boss at 5 for reception of a pin 9, the latter in bracketedattachment at 6 to the vehicle frame 2. The pin 9 extends through boss 5for reception within the bracket 6. Indicated at 7 is a piston rodintegral with a piston 8 for permitting travel substantially the lengthof cylinder 4. The lower terminus of piston rod 7 is also provided witha boss 10 within which a pin 11 is received for retention by a pair ofplates 12 on the wheel suspension member 3. The bracketed attachment soprovided for the upper and lower ends of the air cylinder 1 permitslateral displacement of same during closing movement between suspensionmember 3 and the vehicle frame 2.

The wheel suspension member 3 carries the lower end of a vehiclesuspension spring 13 which terminates oppositely at its upper end insupporting engagement with the vehicle frame 2 in a conventional manner.The placement of an air cylinder 1 intermediate the frame 2 and wheelsuspension component 3 of a vehicle is not restricted to the mannershown and described, the present frame and suspension member disclosureis intended only as being typical of an air cylinder installation. Itwill be recognized that additional such air cylinders located adjacentthe remaining wheels of the vehicle may be associated with other typesof suspension components, e.g., leaf springs or torsion bars andrequiring but workmanlike modifications of the present invention.

For operation of the air cylinder 1 a requirement exists that undernormal spacing of the vehicles frame 2 and suspension component 3 thecylinders piston rod 7 will be in an extended position to locate thepiston 8 in spaced relationship from the upper end of cylinder 4.Obviously a sufficient travel for piston 8 must be provided so as topermit normal flexing of spring member 13 during vertical wheel travelwhile the vehicle is underway.

A cylinder inlet line or supply conduit at 15 provides a source of airto the upper end of the air cylinder via a ball check valve 16. Acylinder fitting 17 receives the incoming flow of air past the check 16(in the direction indicated) and directs same into the interior of thecylinder upon downward movement of piston 8. An air transfer conduit 18is in communication at its upper and lower ends with like ends ofcylinder 4 permitting transfer of air therebetween. A second ball checkvalve at 20 restricts passage of air to the downward flow indicated forentry of the air into the lower end of the cylinder via a secondcylinder fitting 21. An exhaust conduit line at 23 is also incommunication with cylinder 4 via a check valve 22 and the fitting 21 todirect air exhausted from the rod side of piston 8 to a pressure storagetank at 24. Additional outflow lines from other (not shown) aircylinders are indicated at 23. Such other air cylinders are similarlyassociated with each of the other three wheel suspension members.

Tank 24 for the storage of air pressurized by the air cylinders isfitted with a valve 25 for charging of the tank from an external sourceof pressurized air as for instance an automobile service stationfacility. If desired, tank 24 may be in the nature of an accumulatorincorporating a movable diaphragm which is biased by mechanical or fluidmeans against the stored charge of pressurized air.

A relief valve 26 downstream from the tank in a conduit 27 limits theair pressure valve within the tank while a throttle valve 28 providesfor control of the air flow through the conduit 27 and hence the volumeof air delivered to an air driven motor at 29 for conversion of the airflow to useful mechanical force. Motor 29 may be one of several typescommercially available, such as for example a sliding vane type motor.

In one form of the invention a low pressure tank 30 is charged by theexhaust flow from motor 28 at approximately PS1 (above atmospheric). Apressure regulator is indicated at 31. The tank 30 provides a source ofair, under pressure, to the inlet line to complete an air system circuitto the air cylinder 1.

For purposes of converting the constant pressure flow from storagevessel 24 into a pulsating air flow in conduit 27, if such is desired,the addition of the structure described and claimed in a copendingpatent application, filed by the present inventors and entitled AirPulsing System may be made.

In operation upon retraction of piston rod 7 as occurs upon the movingvehicle wheel encountering a bump the air above piston 8 is restrictedby check valve 16 to transfer via conduit 18 to the rod side of piston8. With the cylinder area below the piston 8 enlarging as the pistonrises, the air moving through conduit 18 will be drawn into said area inview of tank pressure in exhaust line 23. At the limit of upward pistonmovement the suspension spring 13 will be compressed with subsequentextension of the vehicles spring 13 occurring to return the vehicleframe 2 and the vehicle suspension component 3 to their normal spacedrelationship to simultaneously extend piston rod 7 moving piston 8downwardly to expel air from the rod side thereof. The foregoing cycleof operation applies regardless of the magnitude of travel of the frame2 and wheel suspension component 3. Air is accordingly displaced by eachof the constantly moving air cylinders on a vehicle for transfer to tank24. As the wheels of the vehicle are in constant vertical movement withrespect to the vehicle frame an adequate volume of air is pumped to thetank 23.

The riding qualities of the vehicle may be retained by varyingsuspension components such as spring 13 with the present unitfunctioning to dampen spring movements.

As shown in FIG. 2 a modified embodiment of the present inventiondispenses with the low pressure tank 30 and regulator 31 permitting theair motor 29 to exthat utilization of a liquid media is also feasible.

While we have shown but two embodiments of the invention it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodiedstill otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention Having thus described the invention what we desire to secureunder a Letters Patent is:

1. An air compression system for a vehicle deriving a compressive forcefrom relative movement between the spring supported vehicle frame and awheel suspension member of the vehicle, said system including,

at least one air cylinder having a piston and piston rod, said cylinderand piston rod oppositely attached to the vehicle frame and the wheelsuspension member whereby piston and cylinder travel will occur duringrelative frame and suspension member movement,

a transfer conduit communicating the opposite ends of said cylinder,

a supply conduit in communication with one end of the cylinder,

an air pressure storage vessel,

exhaust conduit means extending from the other end of said cylinder tosaid storage vessel,

check valves associated with said supply, transfer and exhaust conduitsto permit air flow from one end of the cylinder into the opposite end ofthe cylinder upon reciprocal piston movement during relative movementbetween said vehicle frame and the wheel suspension member to permitsaid air cylinder and piston to function in the manner of a pump tocharge said storage vessel,

an air motor operated by a flow of pressurized air from said storagevessel for powering one or more vehicle systems, and

a second pressure storage vessel to receive the exhaust flow from saidair motor, said supply conduit terminating at one of its ends incommunication with the last mentioned vessel to provide a flow ofpressurized air to said cylinder.

2. The air compression system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the firstmentioned pressure storage vessel is of the accumulator type.

3. The air compression system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the firstmentioned pressure storage vessel is adapted with valve means to permitperiodic charging of the vessel with pressurized air from an externalsource.

1. An air compression system for a vehicle deriving a compressive forcefrom relative movement between the spring supported vehicle frame and awheel suspension member of the vehicle, said system including, at leastone air cylinder having a piston and piston rod, said cylinder andpiston rod oppositely attached to the vehicle frame and the wheelsuspension member whereby piston and cylinder travel will occur duringrelative frame and suspension member movement, a transfer conduitcommunicating the opposite ends of said cylinder, a supply conduit incommunication with one end of the cylinder, an air pressure storagevessel, exhaust conduit means extending from the other end of saidcylinder to said storage vessel, check valves associated with saidsupply, transfer and exhaust conduits to permit air flow from one end ofthe cylinder into the opposite end of the cylinder upon reciprocalpiston movement during relative movement between said vehicle frame andthe wheel suspension member to permit said air cylinder and pIston tofunction in the manner of a pump to charge said storage vessel, an airmotor operated by a flow of pressurized air from said storage vessel forpowering one or more vehicle systems, and a second pressure storagevessel to receive the exhaust flow from said air motor, said supplyconduit terminating at one of its ends in communication with the lastmentioned vessel to provide a flow of pressurized air to said cylinder.2. The air compression system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the firstmentioned pressure storage vessel is of the accumulator type.
 3. The aircompression system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first mentionedpressure storage vessel is adapted with valve means to permit periodiccharging of the vessel with pressurized air from an external source.